Determination of the rate constant of the chemical reaction F + H2(D2) → HF(DF) + H(D) from the stimulated emission of the HF(DF) molecules

A description is given of a method for the determination of the chemical reaction rate constant from the shape of an output pulse of a chemical lasei. The application of this method to the F + H 2 → HF + H and F + D 2 → DF + D reactions yielded their rate constants in the temperature range 195–294° K: 1.54·10 –10 exp[–(1080±170)/RT] cm 3 /sec and 0.82·10 –10 exp[–(790±180)/RT] cm 3 /sec, respectively.